Asteroid Blues

Report on Action at Xaraks Battery

A small Panoceanian detachment conducted recon on an armory building in the Xaracs battery region, intel indicating some form of irregular behaviour in the area, the storage of contraband weaponry. Our tasks were to ascertain exactly what this irregularity was, recover evidence to present to O-12, and also assess the overall situation in the area. Reaching the area it became clear a group of Caledonians was moving on the building. Deeming it possible they were en-route to hide their involvement, we challenged them, only to be threatened with violence by a lead Mormaer.

However, our Swiss Guard ensured their threats came to nought, opening fire from his concealment, warning shots distracting the hostile. The hostile Caledonian attempted to fire despite warnings and was wounded, as it emerged, fatally.

Rushing to prevent loss of evidence, the Father-Knight moved to gain access to the target building, smashing the door open, but the storage lockers within proved more cumbersome, the code failing. A bounty hunter and another member of the Military Orders, whom the Caledonians apparently mistook for Joan of Arc, moved to assist.

A hybrid beast, the so-called “dog soldiers” of Ariadna then rushed forth, this one of course a “Cameronian”. Our Swiss Guardsman wounded it, but movement was detected by our scanners, likely to be the approach of “Galwegians”.

Our Kamau was forced to dive for cover as a “Grey” fired an HMG at him, letting some camouflaged shape move out freely. Our ORC trooper was forced to dodge a shot, suspected to have been T2 ammo, from a “Mormaer”.

A mixed team of Greys, Volunteers, and a person identified as possibly being the hacker Isabelle Macgregor moved on and attacked a Fusilier at range, forcing him into cover. Another Fusilier with an HMG tried to engage, but took a number of fatal wounds from the hostile fire.

The Swiss Guard and a Mormaer engaged in a firefight, but the Swiss Guard also managed to distract the Cameronian as it tried to throw smoke. However, at this point a man apparently resembling William Wallace took command of a squad of Galwegians, the smoke grenades covering their movement. Smashing down the door, “Wallace” and his team entered. Flamethrower fire killed our Bounty Hunter, but one Galwegian was wounded fatally by the Military Order officer accompanying him. We deny reports from the Caledonians that a Nanopulser was used.

A brutal melee began, the Military Order officers fighting off the enemy up close. The squad leader and the MO officer were wounded, but stayed standing, and the Father-Knight also stood unharmed.

Sadly, the officer was slain a moment later, having become overcome with righteous fury and continuing the battle. The ORC, able to now fire, failed to harm any Galwegians. The Kamau tried to attack the Grey but was himself knocked down. The Swiss Guard first wounded, then dropped, a Mormaer. However, he was also engaged and wounded by the HMG Grey. He returned the favor, killing the Ariandan trooper.

The Father-Knight fought bravely but was overwhelmed in the combat with the Galweigians and “Wallace”, the Ariadnan irregulars then using smoke cover to avoid shots from the Swiss. The ORC then found himself temporarily stunned by a flash pulse when firing on the possible Macgregor.

Our Fusilier Paramedic then fell as the Galwegians charged, the Caledonians using banned chainrifles, but managed to help the Swiss Guard kill him outright. They then used smoke to cover their advances, as the Cameronian also moved up. A shape moved in the Armory building, later determined to be the SAS trooper that claimed to have recovered a flamethrower of PanOceanian origin. That the device he removed was over twenty years old and clearly marked for clearing foliage and thawing ice should be enough to dismiss this ludicrous claim.

However, within the smoke “Wallace” moved, breaking off from his team, and the ORC was attacked. He stood his ground, but sadly was eventually felled as Wallace wildly attacked him with a series of swings. The Volunteers were joined by another Grey, who took the lead of the team.

It was clear we did not have the capability to complete our mission, and began to cover a retreat. The Swiss Guardsman fired on numerous targets, but they used smoke to dodge the fire. One of our Fusiliers bravely tried to kill the apparent leader of this violent band, the possible “William Wallace”, but was hit and saved by his armor. The Fusilier given field command laid down suppressive fire.

The Ariadnans tried to attack the Swiss Guard, but their chain rifle did nothing. He then felled the Cameronian as it rushed him. The Grey was killed by the Fusiliers firing, both hitting him in the head at once in a fine display of marksmanship. They also helped knock out the possible Isabelle Macgregor when she took control of the team.

Unusually, a Warcor then rushed in to try and investigate a Panoply. Why he was there, we are unsure.

Unfortunately, this movement of a civilian seemed to have been exploited, a Galwegian managing to knock down our Fusiliers with his chain rifle.

Wallace then charge the Swiss Guardsman, firing his weapon, but having the high ground the Swiss managed to hit him with his pistol, to no effect. He also survived a combi-rifle shot a few moments later, but there was nothing more he could do. Our team retreated, our mission a failure thanks to the aggressive actions of the Caledonians. It is possible the entire mission was a deception, the Caledonians attempting to sow discord with their bizzare accusations of illegal weapons in PanOceanian hands. Yet, there is also the worrying possibility they were acting for some other force….